Regenerative retort-furnace.



No. 876,891. BATENTED JAN. 14, 1908.

R. ZIB-SING.

REGENBRATIVE RBTORT FURNAC'E.l

APPLIOATION FILED APR.6.1906.

. .Nol 876,891.'

RICHARD LZIESING,- OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

REGENERATIVE RETQRT-FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

Application llecl April 6| 1906. Serial No. 310.236.

To all whom 'it may concern: L Be it`known that I, RICHARD-Zinsmo, a citizen of the United States of America, and

v la resident of Cleveland, inthe county of certain Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful 'f Improvements' in Regenerative Retort-Furnaces,`of which the following is a specication.- A I My invention relates to improvements 1n regenerative retort furnaces, and has for its Y object, theimprovement ofthe Well known Siemens-regenerative furnace in several particulars, making the same much more economical and eflicient in operation.

The furnace herein set forth -is particularly adapted for the heating of zinc-distilling retorts, and sufficient details are disclosed to I enable one skilled in the art to construct' a furnace combining all of my improvements,

ada ted for this orother uses. v

ithin recent years, several attempts have been made to improve u on the Siemens fury nace, in endeavor to e iminate well recoglargely in use,

nized undesirable features thereof, and, while this type of furnace has remained even'as improved, there inhere as Well, certain characteristics which I have sought to eliminate in my improved regenerative furnace., Thus, in a furnace of4 this type, it is highly desirable that an equal heating of the contained retorts and preferably such heating should be in a measure controllable. Moreover, the fur nace'coristruction should be as simple and strong as possible, to adapt` it to the high de sequently,

gree of heat to which it is subjected in use, While vconforming generally to the well designed lines of .the Siemens furnace.

In roviding a distributing air or gas su `ply 4t roughout the` furnace, it should e ornein mind that'the portions of the com bust-in-chamber adjacent to the central wall are subjected to practically no loss of heat by radiation, while the portions adjacent to the outer faces of the furnace, suffer very appreciable loss from this cause. Conin order to obtain a more equal heating ofthe retorts', itis desirable that the distribute the air or gas supply.

combustion should be augmented near the outer faces of the furnace, rather than near .the 'center wall, as has previously resulted in those types of Siemens furnace seeking to My iml effected `in the furnace from unequal heating.

shall takeI place during the loperation of the furnace,Y

l provements have proceeded upon the lines of supplying air or gas to the furnace at intervals and adjacent to the outer walls ofthe furnace, whereby substantial savings are heating of the -retorts, in the time required for completing. the'treat'me'nt of ores, and in damage to the retorts and the Accordingly, l vhave retained in my improved furnace7 the solid central dividing wall whichsupports the inner ends of the retort, as opposed to the subdivided or vflue-containing central Wall, resorted to in other constructions for the purpose of providing a distributive air or gas supply. Again, l have equipped thc 'front of my furnace with an air or gas supply embodied in hollow shelves or transverse passages at the frontlof the furnace, where they may be readily inspected or given attention, Whilelbeing entirely out of'the way of the workman in charging and discharging the retorts or giving attention to the furnace.

In adopting my improvements, it will be seen that the heat in different sections of the furnace, may be closely and independently regulated,

condition from the regenerators.

l shall be able to make the features of my improvements better'understood by making` reference -to the accompanying drawings, wherein are illustrated the several features of one embodiment of my invention;- Figure i., thereof, showing' in transverse section, a regenerative furnace equipped with my iniprovements. Fig. ll., is a front or face view of one section thereof, and portions of adjacent sections; and, Fig. lll., is a cross scctional view on an enlarged scale, of the hol low shelf or duct at the front of the furnace, adapted to supply air or gas at different levels thereof to equalize the combustion and heat inthe furnace.

In each of the several figures, I have employed the saine character of reference to indicate similar parts, that confusion may be avoided.

In the drawings above describedl have shown the essential or distinguishing features irrespective -of the main supply of gas and air reaching the furnace 1n heated` of a small regenerative retort furnace, taking sages or chambers for heating and extracting side of the furnace,

derstood by 'provided with neatheach of which are the regenerative pasheat from the gas and air, as will be well unthose acquainted with the Siemens furnace.

Refering to Fig. I., the central Wall a, of lire brick, is provided with supports o r ledges a for carrying the inner ends of the retorts b,

. equipped outwardly with the usual, condensers c, and carried at their outer ends by the usual supports or shelves d; or Vby the hollow shelves e, provided in accordance with my im rovement. Buckstaves f,'united by tiero s f sustain the outer portionof the structure and carry the arch or roof g upon hollow cast iron shewbaclrs h. Beneath ,the floor of y l the furnace are pfrovided the gas regenerative chambers and. the air regenerative chambers Z. m. Bucts y. k. l. m., as mdicated, respectively leading n'itoy the com- -bustionfchambersv of the furnace, through the bottom parts, as shown in the central broken away ortion of Fig. II, serve to convey the initia supply of gas and air to and from the regenerative chambers. Along the upper portions of the buckstaves, are carried su ply pipes o, which form part of the dise tri uting system from` a fan-blower adapted to furnish air under moderate pressurev to'the pipes, the transverse ducts, and ultimately to the combustion-chambersof the furnace. These supply plipes in the type shown, are

s orter branches o', connecting with the upper hollow shelves for the retorts in two adjacent sections, branches 02, connecting with the lowermost hollow shelf of two adjacent sections, all as best shown in Fig. II. Suitable valves 03, o4, and o5, are yrovided for controlling the flow of air to suc hollow distributing shelves. By this arrangement, it is seen that the air supply beneath each two adjacent sections of the two upper or lower tiers Aof retorts may be regulated as required, in order to secure the best operation of the furnace. In addition to the above, the hollow skewbacks h are provided with vents h, and are connected with the source of supply, whereby air may alternatively be injected into the furnace at these points. Thus, during the operation of the furnace, assuming that the valve, (notvshown) is turned to su ply air and gas from the regenerative 'cham ers j l, the air supply beneath the retorts upon the left hand side of the center wall would be maintained from its two hollow shelves g. and from the skewback h, and the uppermost of the two hollow shelves upon the right hand thus ,facilitating combustion of the gas adjacent to each two of the tiers of retorts. The exhausted roducts of combustion, it will be understoo are withdrawn through the checkerwork of the regenerative chambers c. m., beneath the right hand side of the furnace, which chambers are and with longer v reversing intention being to completely consume all gases within the combustion-chamber upon the right. As a precautionary measure, how ever, the lowermost shelf upon the right hand side may be used tov furnish a veryY limited supply of air, sufficient to finally consume any unburned gases.'

In Fig. III, I have exhibited an enlarged detail of one type of hollowshelf which is made up of a hollow iron casting n, having a series of oppositely positioned nipples n and vents or `openings 11,2, the latter of which in practice are positioned beneath the respective retorts. The nipple is closed by a conical sheet iron cup n3, while the vent is eX- tended by means of an angular and specially molded fire-brick facing n4, held in place by means of upper and lower clamping plates a5, a, which in turn are secured to the casting by meansof the cross bolt and wedge a7, as.

vBy reason of the features of construction above set forth, I- am enabled to build my venabled to secure an even heating of thecon tained retorts, although siX or more tiers be employed upon either side of the furnace. The gas supply is such that although the entire amount is introduced beneath the lowermost tier o f retorts, only enough air is admitted to bring such retorts' to the required temperature, and in consequence little'or no difference in heat occurs throughout the furnace, and the bottom rows of retorts are not subject to rapid deterioration, as in the original Siemens furnace. The initial combustion beneath the lowermost row of' retortsis regulated so that the .volumes of gases su plied from the regenerators, are sufficient y heated to distil the Zinc, and the augmented air supply' furnished at proper- .tive air or gas su ply throughout the front or vouter portions maybe accomplishedby other means than. `those specifically transverse ducts.

1 tinctive and imp system of piping and the hollow shelves or In such ca'se, the initial-' su ply of gas would be restricted, while the fu supply of air would be furnished through the ports leadingfrom the regenerative chamb'er. v

It will be 4appreciated that this distribuo the combustion-chambers,

set forth above in the preand most convenient form'. Disortant 'advantages attained by-thus disposing the apparatus for furmshingthe supplementary air or, gas supply ferr-.ed

'. at the outerportions of the furnace,'are the tillation of zinc, which'contains the several reduction in radiation, and the notable ease with which this apparatus may be inspect- .'ed, repairedand regulated. AV/hile I have, moreover, explained in some detail, certain features of my furnace adapted for the disfeatures ofy my invention, I may say that these details are not necessarily linked with the real improvements, which I have made in this type of furnace, and, accordingly, lI wish to claim the same, 'with such modifications as may be made by -those ordinarily skilled in the art.

1. In a furnace of the class described, the

combination with regenerative 'chambers poof a center-wall, of

sitioned upon either side combustion-chambers posltioned above the latter and communicating with each other,

and a distributing system for a gaseous medium positioned at the front or outer faces of the furnace, whereby combustion isv augmented at intervals adj acentV to the contents of the combustion-chambers, substantially as set forth.

2. In a regenerative retort furnace, 4the combination with combustion-chambers, of regenerators disposed beneath said chambers, a center-wall dividing'- the said regeneratorsV and combustion-chambers lbut affording communication therebetween, and a distributing system associated with the front or outer faces lof the combustion-chambers l and adapted to supply a gaseous mediumv at intervals to the contents thereof, whereby gradual conibustlon 1s secured and the heating is equalized, substantially as set forth.

3. In a regenerative' retort furnace, the

combination wi h a system of regenerative chambers, of combustion-chambers connected therewith and witheach other, adapted to receive the retorts vunder treatment, transverse ducts positioned at the front of the furnace' at' intervals between such retorts, and a distributing system connected therewith adapted to supply a gaseous medium for furthering combustion adjacent to the outer a'ces of the furnace, j substantially as set orth.

4. In an improvedSiemens furnace, the

vwall dividing said chambers upper portion of the furnace,

therewith, hollow lcornbination with a vsystem of.;regenerative" chambers, of 'combustion-chambers'connect-- ed therewith and with each other, adapted to receive the ret'orts under treatment, a center- `except atthe hollow` shelves extending transversely along the outer faces of the combustion-chambers, and a distributing system of piping connected therewithr and adapted to supply a gaseous medium for 75 furthering combustion at intervals throughout the contents of the furnace, substantially as set forth. Y'

5. In ya regenerative retort furnace, the combination with combustion chambers,'of a center-wall separating them except at the upper portion Iof the furnace, regenerators positioned beneath each of said combustion chambers and respectively communicating therewith, transverse ducts positioned along the outer or front faces of said combustionchambers, and means for' supplying therethrough to the outer portions of said combustion-chambers,L a suitable gaseousv medium L for furthering combustion, substantially as set forth.

6. In a regenerative retort furnace; the

combination with combustion-chambers, of a center-wall separating them except at the f upper portion of the furnace, regenerators positioned beneath each of said combustionchambers and respectively communicating shelves disposed at intervals along the front or outerfaces of the combustion-chambers for partially sup o rting 10o the contents thereof, and a system o piping (connected therewith and adapted 'to' vsupply through said shelves, a' gaseous medium-for furthering and equalizing the combustion inl said chambers, substantially as set forth.

7 In a regenerative retort furnace", the. combination with combustion-chambers, of a center-wall separating them except atjthe-j'- upper portion of the furnace,.regenerators positioned beneath each -ofsaid combustion- 11o .chambers and respectively`-communicating -therewith, hollow shelves disposed atinterjvals along the front or outer faces of the cornbustion-chambers for partially supporting the contents thereof, hollow skewbacks adja- 115 cent to the arch of the furnace, 'and means for supplying through said shelves and skewbacks, a suitable gaseous'mediumior furthering and equalizing combustion within the retort chambers of the furnace, substantially 12o assetforth. I f v S. In a furnace for the treatment of zincV l and other'ores, the ..con1bination1`with two i adjacent and communicating combustion-` chambers', of a center-.wall partially dividing 12o them, means for'supplyin gaseous-fuel 'and airto thevlower portion o .one of said combustion-chambers, and means for withdrawing the products of combustion vfrom the lower portion of the other'combusti'on-cham- 130 ber, au passages or ducts positioned at inter@ .vals in the front or outer faces of said comf lbustion-chambers, and means for supplying rtherethrough a suitablegaseous medium for furthering combustion andv e ualizing the Yheat throughout the contents o the combustion-chambers, substantially as set forth.

l 9. In a furnace of the class described, the combination withtwo adjacent combustionchambers, of a center-wall separating .the

saine except at their upper portions, means p for supplying gaseous fuel and air and for withdrawingthe productsof combustion, respectively associated with the lower portions of said combustion-chambers, hollow shelves or ducts disposed at intervals along the front or outer faces ofthe combustion-chambers,

and suitable means for directing a gaseous medium through the latter to augment combustion and equalize the heat throughout the interiorsof` said combustion-chambers, sub- 1 A RICHARD ZIESING.

Witnesses: v

JOHN F. MoDoNNELL, ALBERT LYNN LAWRENCE. 

